


If It Were Done When ‘Tis Done

by Shenandoah76209



Series: Chains [10]
Category: Firefly, Pitch Black (2000), Riddick (2013), Serenity (2005), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:34:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25050976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shenandoah76209/pseuds/Shenandoah76209
Summary: Niska should never had tried to take Riddick and kill River.  After all, if he hadn’t done that, his wife would never have met them.  Unluckily for Niska, she likes River and Riddick.  Even unluckier… they like her.  Niska has no idea what he started.
Relationships: Richard B. Riddick/River Tam
Series: Chains [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/411024
Comments: 29
Kudos: 48





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lerachase](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lerachase/gifts).



> If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well  
> It were done quickly. If the assassination  
> Could trammel up the consequence, and catch  
> With his surcease success; that but this blow  
> Might be the be-all and the end-all here,  
> But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,  
> We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases  
> We still have judgment here, that we but teach  
> Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return  
> To plague th' inventor: this even-handed justice  
> Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice  
> To our own lips.  
> \--MacBeth - William Shakespeare

Riddick looked up from the shiv he was carving as the cortex chimed and grabbed for it hastily. He’d rather Kitten got to stay sleeping a while longer. Hitting the button to open the channel he blinked, “Mrs. Niska… wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.”

“Truthfully I hadn’t anticipated the need to wave either,” The older woman smiled slightly. “Though I did wish to thank you for the relatively smooth operation of the last job you two did for me.”

“Just needed Kitten’s genius brain and good timing is all,” Riddick smiled in return. Stealing information hadn’t really been any more difficult than stealing cash, just a slightly different set of parameters.

“Oh is that all?” Mrs. Niska chuckled, “Well as soon as she duplicates herself I’ll offer her clone a position. I could use a genius brain.”

“Where I’m sittin’ yours ain’t exactly slouchin’ along.” Truth, the older woman was a criminal genius. Ruthless yes, and occasionally cruel if it became necessary, but business was everything, first and foremost. And a long-term view of what was profitable and what wasn’t gave the woman a unique perspective. And a deep appreciation of their own skill set.

“How is she?” Mrs. Niska’s near motherly concern for Kitten never failed to surprise him. She’d taken an interest after Luna’s mercs had come after them and done a bit of research of her own. Once the mercs had been dealt with and they’d dropped off her courier, Mrs. Niska had invited them in for a meal and laid out everything she’d learned about them.

She’d gone all out, in both respects, and what she’d learned had been surprisingly thorough. Some blank spots as would be expected, not everything being a matter of public record. But she’d known River had escaped from Blue Sun’s Academy, that Riddick had escaped as many slams as he had shivs, nearly, and most interesting of all, that Riddick was Furyan. She was certainly taking a risk, considering the nature of the two people from which she’d stripped away all masks.

Also interestingly, she’d told them flat out that she had no interest in blackmailing them or forcing them to work for her when they didn’t want. “My motives for informing you of my knowledge stem from the hopes that you will not feel the need to conceal your abilities from me,” She’d regarded them with steady eyes. “I think you’ll agree that finding reliable people is difficult. And for a woman in my position, it becomes increasingly difficult due to the nature of my business. To find two people willing and able to fulfill their contracts without undue fuss is…rare. I would rather we all be comfortable and honest with each other. I believe it will make for a deeper understanding and an easier relationship.”

Kitten’s smile had tilted with understanding, “Isolated but for her husband and servants. No proper conversation.”

“Despite the history you have with my husband, and despite his…dislike of your former shipmates,” Mrs. Niska nodded. “Or perhaps because of those incidents, I find the two of you to be very interesting. Intelligent, thorough, and perhaps best of all, honorable in your own way.”

“That’s a new one,” Riddick had half smiled.

“The two of you have your own standards and you keep to them,” The older woman shrugged. “You don’t compromise in the name of expediency if something goes against those standards.”

That had been the beginning of an odd but interesting association. They didn’t work for Mrs. Niska, or Celeste as she’d asked them to call her in private, not exclusively. But they did work regular. When she’d heard of their marriage she’d sent them a gift with her congratulations. Typical of her, it wasn’t a normal newlywed type of gift like cookware or bedding. A finely crafted set of swords, with matching daggers and the latest in body armor, her gift had come in handy more than once.

“She’s sleepin’ now,” Riddick answered her current question. “You know how it is.”

“I remember all too well,” The gently aged face smiled in agreement. “I still haven’t quite decided on the most difficult age.”

“Do me a favor, if you do figure it out, don’t enlighten us until after it’s passed,” Riddick grinned at her. “We’ll just enjoy our ignorance.”

Her laugh was warm and delighted with the joke, “I’ll do my best.” Her smile faded slowly, “Thank you Richard.” Her slip to personal names didn’t bode well, and neither did the look in her eyes now that her mind had gone back to business. “I find that I need to speak with the two of you, but what I have to say cannot be discussed in a wave.”

“We’re not that far out from Herschel,” Riddick told her. “Almost ready to hit Three Hills. We can be at the house in a half day maybe?”

“I need to make a journey to Boros, and I was hoping to book passage with you,” Mrs. Niska explained. “We could speak during the trip.”

“’Course,” Riddick nodded. “Got to drop some cargo on Three Hills, shouldn’t take more than a half day. We can be on Herschel in twelve hours. That give you enough time to pack for the trip? Make arrangements for the ranch?”

“That will be perfect,” She smiled, the tilt of her lips genuine if tinged with melancholy. “I’ll look forward to seeing you.”

“Us too,” Riddick nodded as she signed off. Strangely enough he meant it. The woman might be a ruthless criminal, but she was also tiān shā de insightful, and she had nearly as high an opinion of Kitten as he did. What the hell was going on?

* * *

River stretched as she moved towards the galley and started a pot of coffee, Dog perking up as he heard her footsteps and trotting down the hall to nudge at her legs. “Oh are you hungry my _zhǎng zǐ_?” She chuckled as Riddick emerged from the bridge, “Our child is demanding breakfast.”

“Still sounds _tā mā de_ wrong,” Riddick grumbled as he pressed his lips to hers passionately. “You sleep all right?”

“Hmm…” She nodded. “Once I was finally able to sleep.”

“Yeah, I know,” He agreed as he fed Dog. “Feel like I owe you about a million backrubs, gourmet meals and diamonds to say thank you.”

“Silly man,” She kissed him again. “As if I didn’t want the same thing.”

“Still appreciate it. And even more now,” He pressed against her backside and kissed her neck. “My beautiful perfect woman.”

“Madman,” She giggled. “Thinks she is perfect.” It was still nice to hear. Insane but nice.

“Well I am crazy for you,” He grinned against her neck.

River sighed happily and turned to kiss his jaw, “Crazy and handsome. Better than she deserves.” She nearly purred as his big hand slid down her hip to caress her thigh, teasing her. “Thinks to sneak in some time alone?”

“Hmm… well you know me,” Riddick chuckled. “Take you right here, bent over the table.”

“Promises, promises,” She teased, then felt and heard him inhale and growl hungrily against the mark on her neck.

“Seems like someone wants me to do just that,” His hand parted the robe she’d pulled on and cupped her sex, groaning over the damp heat he found between her thighs. “Smell hot and ripe…”

River moaned and reached for him, “Yes.” Turning to look up into his gleaming eyes. “Yes my Riddick.”

“You sure,” He’d pulled her robe open completely, hands cupping her breasts. “You know what’ll happen.”

“It’s time,” She nodded and nipped his throat with her teeth, even though she had to stand on her tiptoes to do it. “Preventative measures discontinued. Want it.”

The low growl that rose in his throat, vibrating his chest against her back was pure need. In one of his lightening quick reactions River found herself stripped naked and bent over the galley table, legs spread to expose her _yīn xué_. “Beautiful,” He growled. “But I got a mind to do this in our bed, behind a locked door.” His mouth left a hot trail down her spine as his cock pressed against her, “How much time do we have?”

“An hour, possibly more,” She moaned. “Please…Riddick.” Partners, completely, husband and wife in every way, her man loved that she was his equal. And loved even more that in this…she was his. Completely. Willing to submit to him and willing to meet him and match him at his own game when he needed it.

“Yeah,” He grabbed her robe off the floor and left Dog to his meal tugging her into their room and shutting the door behind them, locking it for good measure. Her robe was thrown over the chair, and his clothing stripped off impatiently.

River smiled to herself as she crawled across the bed and knelt on all fours before pressing her cheek to the mattress and spreading her thighs wide, displaying for him. “Need you Riddick,” She slid her fingers between her thighs, rubbing at her _yīn dì_ for him. He loved to see her like this, touching herself, ready for him with only a kiss and a caress.

“Fuck,” If she turned she knew she’d see his eyes glowing hot in the twilight of the room. “Maybe I oughta tease you some, play with that pretty ass…”

“So long as you fall inside me,” She groaned. “Please… Riddick… need you…inside me.”

* * *

He didn’t have the words for what it did to him, to see his Kitten splayed out, ready for him, nimble fingers tugging on her clit, smelling her need and that tantalizingly ripe scent. The animal in him, the primal, could go crazy with that scent, unable to stop until he’d gotten the job done. Unwilling to chance any result but one.

“Oh I’m gonna come inside you baby,” He took his place behind her and rubbed the head of his cock up and down her pussy, groaning at the feel of those hot slick lips. “Not gonna be able to stop. Not until you’re filled.” Her moan of demand, the flex of her body pushing back, stretched his tenuous control nigh unto the breaking point.

“Don’t want you to stop,” Kitten mewled and that tore it.

She was still so damn tight, slick and hot, stretching around his cock as he pushed into her. “Unghh… _cào dàn_ ,” He growled and began to withdraw almost completely before shoving back in. “That’s it, baby…so good and snug around my cock. Come on it Kitten.”

Sweet low moans of pleasure, her body trembling around him, the feel of her drawing taut as his hips smacked hard against her backside, trying to dig deeper into her each time. “Ohh…god…Riddick… please…oh please…so close…”

“Gonna give it to you good Kitten,” He promised and gripped her hips hard in his hands, pulling her back tightly, forcing his cock deeper and reveling in her scream of pleasure as she came in a hot damp wave of spasming flesh around him. “More…” He growled, pulled her up so her spine pressed to his chest, pushed her fingers away from her clit and forced her thighs wider, pushing his dick deeper… “Fuck yeah,” Riddick pushed his hand between her thighs and tugged on her clit, mouth on her neck and shoulders, sucking hard on her skin. “That’s it, baby,” She was taking him in, deep…fuck he could feel the mouth of her womb, opening for him, surrounding the head as he ground up into her and roared his triumph as his balls emptied into her belly.

Banding his arms around her, holding her tight to his body, sweet soft flesh trembling, panting little moans. The Furyan, the animal, it needed her, his mate, his woman, wife, hardening inside her again, damn near immediately after he’d filled her with his seed. “Riddick…” Kitten moaned. “Please… don’t stop…” He fixed his mouth to her mark and sucked, watching as her body reacted instantly, nipples tight, breasts swollen with need.

“Fuck you’re so pretty,” He kissed her jaw and neck and finally her mouth, devouring as his hands moved from her hips to her tits and began to roll those pert little points in his fingertips. “Wanna keep you in bed for days at a time. Fill you over and over.”

“Yes, please,” She was trying to roll her hips to his, needing the friction of his dick moving inside her.

He smirked and pressed her back down on all fours before reaching for the bedside drawer.

* * *

River moaned as Riddick pressed her down again. Her wonderful wicked man wasn’t going to stop fucking her, but he was going to make sure she was mindless and limp with pleasure before he was done filling her belly.

Slick oils on her _pì gu_ , a vibrator the width of his two fingers pressed inside her without any other precursor and she shuddered violently, her fall washing over her without warning. A choked cry of pleasure from her big man as her body gripped and pulsed around him, a shout of bliss as her womb milked him of his seed again.

Panting, hot breaths on her spine and he flicked the vibrator on, slow undulations to tease and pleasure her before he drew her back up to press her spine to the mark on his chest. “Wicked little woman, coming just from a little toy filling your pretty ass,” Oh that evilly pleased voice, filling her ears. “You’ve earned an hour of me fucking that sweet slit. You’re gonna be dripping my seed down your thighs when I’m done with you Kitten.”

She didn’t even have time to think before he’d slipped two of the toys over her breasts, wraps the size of his hands, to grip and fondle her flesh and suck at her nipples. And his hand, those strong firm knowing fingers between her thighs… stroking and rubbing her clit until all she could do was try to meet his fingertips.

“So beautiful,” His hips rolled under her _pì gu_ , moving his _jī ba_ inside her minutely. “I’m not letting you out of our bed until that gorgeous scent of yours changes Kitten.” His teeth nipped her neck and lips sucked on the marks he’d given her.

“Please…my Riddick…” She moaned his name. “Fill me… over and over… mark me… yours.”

She felt him grow impossibly stiff inside her, a steel rod in her belly, forcing its way into her womb again. Tight, stinging, sweet stretching as he reacted to her plea. “Fuck baby,” The near preverbal growl sent pleasure chasing over her skin. “Fuck yeah, take it!”

The rest was a storm of need and bliss until, true to his word, her scent had changed.

* * *

Riddick covered his wife with a quilt and dragged on his cargo pants before indulging himself by cuddling her satiated body against his and breathing in her scent. “Fuckin’ perfect little Kitten,” He put a palm over her belly and inhaled again.

Who knew nearly ten years ago when he’d met Kitten on Not Furya that he’d be so content with a relatively simple life? That the slaved-out girl would become his best friend, partner, lover, wife… everything. Simpler to just say she was everything. He’d never met anyone like her, not in all his life, she was completely unique.

Six years ago when she’d agreed to marry him… Fuck he was practically purring as he remembered. She’d been so happy he’d asked her. That he’d wanted that. Like he wouldn’t. He’d just needed to get up his nerve to ask. Part of him, the same part that had tried to resist loving her for so long, didn’t think she’d want to be bound to him. Not in any civilized way, not that other people could understand.

“Gone and done the worst crime of all,” He chuckled to himself as he nuzzled his wife’s elegant neck. “And I’ll be fucked if I give a shit.” Well, sort of, he doubted anyone would truly consider him civilized.

Kitten stirred and sighed happily in her half doze, “Hmm…”

Riddick grinned, his palm on her belly, and inhaled her scent, “Got the job done baby.” He pressed a kiss to the new mark on her shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So lerachase brought up the idea of Mrs. Niska becoming closer to our deadly duo. And this is what came to mind. We’ve got about five chapters of this size and an epilogue. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> tiān shā de (goddamn)
> 
> zhǎng zǐ (eldest son)
> 
> tā mā de (fucking)
> 
> yīn xué (pussy)
> 
> yīn dì (clitoris)
> 
> cào dàn (fuck)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> jī ba (dick / penis)


	2. Two

He was still smiling a bit smugly as he made breakfast when two sets of sleepily shuffling feet sounded from the hallway. “Hey,” He looked at the double set of dark eyes peering at him from the twilight of the doorway. “You two hungry?”

“ _Lǎo mā_?” The question was automatic as Dog walked over to sniff and inspect his little packmates.

“You two kept her awake a long time last night. She’s sleepin’ still, an’ we’re gonna let her, right?” Riddick regarded the two of them with a firm gaze. They had no clue what a softy he was when it came to his family but that was good. If they did he’d never get any time alone with his wife. And that was damned important. Making sure his Kitten knew how much he loved her, needed her, for herself, not just as the mother of his children, he wasn’t ever going to let that fall by the wayside. “What’s the matter, your _Bà ba_ ain’t good enough for you?”

That got him twin grins as they came to the counter and he got identical hugs to his right and left leg since they could see his hands were full handling breakfast. “No! We love our _Bà ba_.”

Riddick chuckled, “Love you two knuckleheads right back.” He nodded towards the table. “You two get your plates and cups and spoons out of your cabinet and I’ll get this on the table and wake up your _lǎo mā_.”

That got them moving, opening the cabinet with the small plasti dishes and flatware. He never got tired of watching them. Both boys were a mix of he and Kitten, Tamlin’s hair was a bit darker and his eyes leaning more brown than black, and Branson’s skin a closer match to Riddick’s with near black eyes. Neither of them was any slouch in the brain department and thanks to the games they played with him and Dog they could move almost as quietly as he and their mother.

“So what was it that kept the three of you awake so late?” He asked as he put their breakfast in front of them and mixed up the milk before putting it in the lidded cups. “Bad dreams?” Irritating as it might be that his pretty little wife hadn’t slept much, he couldn’t get mad at the boys. Brains that worked like his and Kitten’s meant all sorts of ‘what if’ scenarios that could get overwhelming to little boy minds.

“Tam’s thinkin’ ‘bout the engines an’ the catalyzer like on _Serenity_ ,” Bran explained. “And I couldn’t stop trying to figure out how to augment oxygen levels.”

“Ah,” Riddick indulged himself and the boys with another hug. “Yeah, that can get scary. But your mama explained how we check everything?”

“Uh huh,” Tam nodded.

Riddick gave them each a kiss to the crown of their heads, “We can talk more about that later if you want. I can show you our checklists. Let me go get your mama now.” He got identical nods of agreement before he moved toward the door to his and Kitten’s room.

* * *

River sat up and stretched as her big man walked in the door, “Hmm… _zhàng fu_ has made a mess of his wife.” She waited until he’d shut the door behind him before climbing out of the bed. The evidence of how they’d spent their free hour was dripping down the inside of her thighs.

Riddick’s flare of possessive, proud desire, warmth like the sun on her skin. “Beautiful,” He nearly crooned, grabbing a washcloth and sitting her in the chair to clean her tenderly. He finished with a kiss to her belly, “My woman, wife.”

River cupped his jaw in her hand and sighed at the sweetness when he turned and pressed his mouth to her palm. “Spoils the wife,” She smiled.

“Mother of my children,” He was nearly purring, pressing his mouth to her belly. “And we got a third starting to grow right here.” Mercury eyes gleamed up at her, “Good thing we did a little rearranging of the walls huh?”

“Scent changed,” She found it endlessly fascinating that her big man could scent when she was most fertile, and scent again once his seed had taken root in her, the change in her body chemistry signifying pregnancy.

“Hmm…” He nodded against her belly. “Nine months from now, or a little sooner if we end up with another set of twins.” That brought a frown to his sensual mouth. Riddick loved their boys, kissed her every day for each of them in thanks for his family but he’d been in a killing mood the last month and a half of her pregnancy.

She’d been huge, unable to fight or do any strenuous work, without anyway to burn off her energy. Riddick had been even worse off, trying to figure out ways to protect her and keep them earning money. They’d ended up on Persephone for the last month so Simon could meet them for the birth. Riddick had taken temporary work with Badger, and River had done cortex work for the little crime boss. That had earned them enough to keep flying.

Not being able to move quickly or fight had also played with her emotions, those old fears bubbling to the surface of her mind. The last time she’d been incapacitated… knock out gas, the mercs, chains, and slavery… Thankfully they’d been in a position for her to wave the counselor she’d spoken with early in their partnership. Between the counselor and Riddick, the three of them had come up with healthy ways for her to deal with those fears. _Sanguine_ had been safe before. But with the changes they had designed the crew quarters were completely inaccessible to anyone but her and Riddick.

In the end the changes had helped Riddick as well. He’d needed to be sure she and their children would be safe and protected. He'd also burnt off a lot of excess energy by moving the walls of the ship to make a private hall and turned a portion of their room and her old room into two smaller rooms and another bathroom. The bathroom had been designated for passengers, small but serviceable. A new door led to a hall beside the old corridor with the doors three crew rooms off of it, theirs and two for children. It had been a lot of work but now their private quarters were secure, accessible only through a code-locked door.

Riddick had also made an adjustment to the head on the other side of the ship, pushing a wall into the laundry space and adding a small shallow tub suitable for bathing children. It made the laundry space little more than a closet until he’d pushed the second wall a foot into the exercise space and it was still a squeeze. Worth it though, to have the tub. And that entire side of the ship was also kept behind a code-locked door.

Her cortex equipment had moved to the former pool table area, and a door added from the main hall since he’d walled the area in after moving the pool table out. It had been set in a corner of the sparring room, where originally they’d kept the punching bags and free weights. Moving the punching bags to the opposite wall meant they hung over the mats and the weight bench sat in their old place. Eventually they might have to disassemble the pool table when the boys became big enough to train with their parents but for now it was still something they could enjoy. Riddick had made noises about building a cover for it and moving it into the common area so they could use it as a dining table when it wasn’t in use as entertainment.

Once she’d given birth though… Riddick’s Furyan nature had gone into overdrive. Persephone was too crowded. From her husband’s perspective it was a security nightmare. Buddha be praised, Mrs. Niska had waved them soon after they’d left, inquiring about another courier run and a series of regular deliveries. Not dangerous for her or the infants she was nursing, activity to keep her husband occupied and most importantly, near a minimum of people.

She couldn’t fault him as a father, he’d barely let her do anything beyond feed and hold the twins for the first three weeks. If they cried, Riddick woke along with her and brought the boys to her to nurse. He changed diapers, bathed them, walked them until they slept… She really wasn’t sure how much sleep he’d gotten in the first five months of their boys’ lives.

And he’d been afraid to touch her sexually, worried she wasn’t healed, that she’d be uncomfortable, or he’d hurt her. Two and a half more months of that, and she’d had enough. The boys were sleeping through the night, her body was completely healed and her breasts back to their normal size, shape and function. That had worried her, but the information Celeste Niska had dug up, along with River’s own research on Furyans had relieved her concerns. Apparently Furyan babies were weaned sooner rather than later. It aided in survival should something happen to their mother.

With the boys finally sleeping through the night she’d given Riddick one night to simply sleep and rest. And he had his chance to seduce or claim her as he chose. But even though he’d wrapped himself around her as if she was the greatest treasure in the ‘verse, he hadn’t attempted to touch her sexually.

The next night she’d stripped naked in front of him, ordered her husband to lie back on the bed and climbed on top of him. He wasn’t so self-disciplined that he hadn’t gotten aroused at the sight of her and she’d been so eager for him that she hadn’t even needed to be touched before she was ready to take him. It had been so long she’d nearly finished before he was fully seated inside her. One roll of her hips and she’d fallen apart around him.

They hadn’t gotten much sleep that night and only the short-term contraceptive had prevented her from becoming pregnant again. Not that either of them had minded.

She ran a hand over his shaved scalp and smiled down at him, “We’ll handle it, even if we do end up with twins again.” River shrugged. “At least we found soundproofing that works on Furyan ears.”

“True,” He grinned at her, a wicked slant of his lips. “Get dressed before I decide to give you twins anyway.”

She giggled as he helped her up and grabbed her clothing. The boys being fraternal rather than identical twins was a point for his theory.

It had been funny really, watching Riddick puzzling over the change in her scent. He could smell the differences when she’d changed contraceptive methods. When she’d explained that it was due to using a method she could start and stop depending on when they chose to try for children he’d been awed. Apparently Riddick had thought himself lucky that she’d agreed to marry him. He hadn’t believed himself so fortunate as to think she’d want children with him. For a genius he could be terribly foolish.

Riddick had grinned and suggested immediately as a time frame. She’d been all too willing to agree, though it hadn’t worked out to be quite that quickly. Work had kept them from bed for a couple months, the timing of her fertile days unfortunate. And then Riddick had figured out how to track her scent and how it changed during her peak. The look on his face when he’d inhaled her scent and known… she’d never seen such hunger before. The side he called the Animal had emerged and he’d made it his mission to keep her in bed until he knew she was pregnant.

Her big man watched her dress with one of those smiles just short of silly on his face. He still wondered how he’d gotten so lucky as to find her and have her want him. “Hasn’t ever thought that perhaps all the horrible things in his life were due to be balanced out?” She pulled her shirt on and wound her hair back in its chignon.

“Never figured I’d suffered enough to have someone as good as you in my life, much less have you agree to be mine and give me kids on top of it. And happily too, even if you did curse me all through your labor.” He shrugged and kissed her before guiding her out of the bedroom via his arm wrapped around her waist, “Last day of coffee for you Kitten.”

“Hmm… only downside,” She sighed and took the mug gratefully before dishing up their breakfast and kissing their sons on their heads.

“Mrs. Niska waved before you woke up,” Riddick commented as he sat and added a bit more breakfast to the twins’ plates. “Got something she can’t talk about in a wave, wants us to pick her up after our stop on Three Hills, sail to Boros with her.”

“Unusual,” River considered what the job could possibly be. “You will all be very good while Mrs. Niska sails with us,” She told the boys, including Dog in her firm look. “She is a older lady and not used to hollering and running.”

“At all?” Tam’s big eyes stared at her and to his father and back as if unsure of the possibility.

“When she is in the common areas,” River amended.

“Try,” Bran nodded his agreement and Dog barked sharply.

“Hmm…” River regarded the three of them and nodded. Presumably there would be a few gaffes, but they’d make the attempt and that was all she could really ask of five-year-old Furyans and a nine to ten-year-old Dog.

Dog regarded her with a tilt of his funny head and she found herself hoping that his lifespan exceeded that of the typical large canine. Her big man’s first friend after the five long years he’d spent with the Necromongers, it would hurt him so badly to lose Dog. Her boys had known Dog all their lives, a constant, just as their parents were. She’d done her best to get a working knowledge of the animal’s physiology and Dog showed no signs of slowing down so perhaps she was worrying for nothing.

“Nothing else regarding the job in question,” She looked at Riddick and he shook his head.

“Nope. Couldn’t talk about it over a wave so whatever it is, likely it’s gonna be tricky,” He looked at the boys. “We gotta stop on Three Hills to drop off cargo in a few hours. You two remember the drill? Doors at the top of the stairs stay locked.”

“If _Lǎo mā_ or _Bà ba_ hits the alarm, we go to our room with Dog,” Tam recited.

“And lock all the doors behind us,” Bran added with a nod.

River watched as Riddick nodded his satisfaction. The fine line between teaching their boys the harsh truth of life in the Black and protecting them from the same truth grew more difficult to walk the older they became. No child of theirs would ever grow up weak. She and Riddick wouldn’t allow it. But at the same time…they wouldn’t wish their pasts on anyone. Especially not their children.

Tam tilted his head as he finished breakfast and inhaled curiously. Bran imitated his older brother instinctively and River grinned as Dog did the same thing, “ _Lǎo mā_ smells different,” He announced to the table at large.

“Yeah?” Riddick regarded him with interest. “Different how?”

“Uhm… sweet?” Tam was fumbling for words despite his fairly, for a five-year-old, extensive vocabulary.

“Apple juice,” Bran offered with a frown. “But…harder?”

“Like cider you mean?” Riddick inhaled and his eyes gleamed as he regarded her. Oh she knew that possessive look in his eye. The minute the cargo was off the boat and the boys down for their nap he was going to carry her off to bed.

“Uh huh,” Bran nodded. “Why?”

“Mama’s gonna have a baby,” Riddick shrugged as if it were everyday news. Those dancing mercury eyes told a different story.

“How,” Tam was staring at his mother as if she was going to clone herself immediately.

River arched an eyebrow at her husband, silently daring him not answer that question and Riddick smirked at her before looking at their boys. “Well, Mama’s body makes half, and I make the other half and today we decided to put the two halves together. We have sex to do that part. Then the two halves go together and your Mama carries them around in her belly to grow into a baby.”

“Huh,” Bran tilted his head as he looked from one parent to another. “Why?”

“We wanted to,” Riddick shrugged.

“Okay,” Tam shrugged back at him and finished his breakfast. “I’m done. Can I go play?”

“Me too!” Bran gulped his milk down.

“You may if you remember the nice way of asking,” River regarded them. “And put your dishes into the cleaner.”

“Uh… May we…please be excused,” Tam asked, prompted by his twin halfway through the request.

“Yes you may,” River nodded. “One hour to play, then lessons.”

The happy whoops and barks that followed weren’t strictly according to the codes of etiquette she’d had drilled into her by the age of five, but she had no intention of raising her little Furyan’s like core clones.

“Take after me in manners,” Riddick grimaced at the noise. Being older and his senses more developed his ear were more sensitive than the twins.

“Want them to have the knowledge and how to use it, like armor, but not indoctrinated,” River finished her meal and kissed his temple as she stood to clean up. “After the work for Celeste… stop on Universe’s moon? Cameras show the garden will be ready for harvest by then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So I wonder what Mrs. Niska could need that she can’t talk about over a wave? Hope you liked this bit.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Lǎo mā (mother / mom)
> 
> Bà ba (Dad, pops, daddy)
> 
> zhàng fu (husband)


	3. Three

The job on Three Hills went pretty smooth but Riddick hadn’t expected anything else. Their contact tended to be penny pinching but he was honest and so long as they brought what they’d promised Yao never gave them any trouble. The boys knew that when they were on the ground they should stay in their room, just in case.

Once in the Black the twins came out again and Kitten resumed their book lessons. He tended to do his work at one end of the table while she taught them at the other. He’d never have thought it, but he enjoyed listening to them work, liked the new tidbits of information he picked up and delighted in how smart their kids were. They were on par with their mother, and she insisted that they’d gotten half their brains from him, despite what he said.

Today it was lessons in literature, and those were fun because River always chose books they’d all find interesting. She’d smirked once when he’d commented on that and said when they were older they could be bored reading all the books the intellectual norms considered classics. Some of those ancient stories were enjoyable. And some were just…boring.

The soft beep of the bridge alert sounded, and he stood, wrapping up his tools and the half-finished practice shivs he was making before he headed in to shut it off. “Coming up on Herschel,” He called back quietly. “Twenty minutes and we’ll be at the ranch.”

“Be done in ten,” Kitten called back quietly

* * *

She was true to her word, the schoolwork returned to its place within ten minutes and the twins picking up the various things they ‘might have left’ in places that weren’t their room.

Kitten came on the bridge and her fingers stroked the back of his neck. “Want me to take over? Feels like you’ll want a shave.”

“Nah,” He grinned at her. “Figured on bribing you into shaving me later.” He never got tired of that and she knew it. Inevitably it led to her riding him and he never got tired of that either.

“Insatiable,” She giggled and kissed him before heading back to the galley. “Boys… on the ground in five. Make sure your shoes are on.”

The twin groans of dismay, both comical and predictable, echoed through the hallway. They hated shoes with the same passion he hated bright lights. “Do what Mama says,” He called. “We all gotta wear shoes. If they made shoes for Dog he’d wear them too.” That got them laughing and from the sound of it, trying to figure out how to make Dog shoes so he wasn’t left out.

Setting the _Sanguine_ down at the ranch was old hat by this time. The staff knew them by sight as Mrs. Niska’s preferred couriers, so these days no one gave them any trouble.

Riddick looked at their boys and Dog, “Not sure what’s going on but you stay here on the ramp. Mrs. Niska wasn’t the same when we talked and I want us to be ready to go right away. After we get her work done, we’ll go by the moon and you can all run around there.”

Tam and Bran nodded solemnly, and Dog cocked his head before yipping an affirmative that suggested Riddick was the idiot who couldn’t handle himself. He walked with Kitten towards the main house, “Everyone’s a smartass these days.”

“Take after their Daddy,” She smirked at him. Her smile faded as they came within sight of the porch. Mrs. Niska stood there, a bag beside her, unsmiling, hands clenched tightly together in a deceptively serene fold at her waist. “Oh dear.”

“Oh _tā mā de niǎo_ ,” Riddick muttered. “This is…bad.”

* * *

River trotted up the steps a pace ahead of her husband and wrapped her arms around this very unlikely and unexpectedly dear friend. “ _Wǒ duì nǐ de sǔn shī biǎo shì āi dào_ ,” She murmured.

“ _Xiè xie_ ,” Mrs. Niska’s wave of sorrow lightened slightly as she returned River’s embrace. “I am grateful you were available.”

“We’d make the time,” Riddick said in his firm voice. “And be glad to do it.” River loved that about her big man, even if he didn’t like Celeste, and he did, she and Celeste had become friends and he’d help her friend for her sake.

“I took the liberty of acquiring fresh food stocks in the hopes you’d enjoy preparing meals a bit more,” Mrs. Niska still had her public persona on. “They should be waiting for us near the ship by now.”

“I’d love to cook for you,” River smiled at her friend. “Please, we’ve prepared a room for you. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”

“Trip to Boros won’t take long,” Riddick took the bag while River gently took Mrs. Niska’s arm. “We’ll get you settled and take off; figure we can talk after.”

“Please,” The elderly woman nodded her head regally.

* * *

River smiled as their boys bowed to Mrs. Niska politely before heading back to the upper deck, thus clearing the way for the crates of fresh food and their passenger. Dog gave her a cursory sniff before following the twins. “Go on up,” Riddick nodded to her. “I’ll get the crates on.” He looked at the six sizeable boxes and she could hear his thought that Celeste was determined to feed them up.

It wasn’t the first time Celeste had been on their boat, and River doubted it would be the last. The older woman looked around the galley with a smile, taking in the artwork held to the cold storage with magnets but failed to comment on the pictures. Distracted, distraught… and no wonder.

“Can you tell me what happened?” She asked as she put the kettle on for tea.

“I…I would rather only go over it once, if you don’t mind River,” Celeste sighed. “It’s…not easy to say.”

River nodded, giving her friend’s shoulder a supportive squeeze before she busied herself with the tea and putting away the foodstuff’s Riddick was bringing up from the cargo deck. By the time they were done, the boys had settled on either side of Celeste to hug and cuddle up to one of the more ruthless and dangerous women in the ‘verse.

“All right,” Riddick pointed at his sons. “I took a look at your room and neither of you made your beds this morning. And you’ve got books on the floor because you didn’t secure your shelves. Go get that cleaned up.”

“Chores before fun,” Celeste reminded them of the rule River and Riddick had established and gave them each a kiss on the forehead. “I brought us fresh apples for dessert though, so you’d better be good for your _Bà ba_ and _Lǎo mā_.”

“Yes _Lǎo dà niáng_ ,” Tam nodded and scrambled down while his brother did the same on Celeste’s other side.

Celeste watched them indulgently, pleased as always to be called grandmother, “You’re fortunate in your sons.” She smiled as River placed a cup of tea in front of her and a tray with cream, sugar and a plate of salty and sweet snacks.

River smiled as her big man came in the galley and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth before heading to the bridge to get them off the ground and headed to Boros. “I’m fortunate,” She smiled over his loving and possessive thoughts and anticipation of how she’d look with a baby swelling her belly again.

* * *

He knew Celeste was really upset about something. Her grief was like hot pepper in his sensitive nose. No wonder the boys had been trying to cheer her up. Getting them underway and on course to Boros didn’t take long and when he got back in the galley Kitten and Celeste were having some tea with Kitten’s special tea set.

That tea set had a story behind it, since it was the second set she’d gotten. The first, something Kitten had said was blue and white, had been found in a resale shop on Persephone and she’d loved it. She’d carried it back to the boat practically beaming with pride that she had a proper tea service, four cups, saucers, little dessert plates, and the teapot, sugar and creamer containers with a tray to carry the whole thing on.

“Silly maybe,” Kitten had explained as she washed and dried the china. “But to serve tea to guests, it is a very proper set. Special, to show a guest they are important and valued.”

“Somethin’ you’d’ve had when you got married in the Core,” Riddick asked curiously.

She’d nodded, “With marriage, parents or elder siblings would gift daughters with elegant china for formal dinners. Stemware, silver, porcelain… Proper gifts for a young lady starting her new household.” Kitten had carefully stored her new tea set into one of the cabinets below the sink smiling up at him. “Rather have used and her big man.” He’d kissed her and hugged her tightly, her belly already swelling with their twins after two months. If he had his way she’d have all the pretty dishes she wanted.

Four years later the boys had discovered the tea set. They’d endeavored to serve Dog tea, which was an endeavor doomed to failure even for a pair of three-year-old geniuses. More than half the set, including the pot and tray had been broken. Kitten hadn’t even yelled. He’d hated the scent of her sorrow and resignation, the worry that had shot through her when she’d heard china crash to the deck floor. She’d looked at him with a desperate plea and he’d nodded that he’d handle it.

He’d been hard pressed to not growl at his sons, sitting them down right on the floor with the broken china and looking at them, “So why were you using Mama’s tea set? You know that its special. It’s not yours to play with.”

“ _Lǎo mā_ said that we’re a family and we share everything,” Bran had explained.

“We wanted to share with Dog,” Tam was petting the big animal.

“Your mama’s right, we are a family and we do share everything,” Riddick concentrated on keeping his voice even and not shouting. “But that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to go in our room and use my shivs or our guns. Those are adult things and you two are not adults. Not by a long shot.” He looked at the two of them, “Your mama is special. Do you know what that means?”

“Unique,” Tam supplied the definition. “Better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.” His twin nodded.

“Exactly,” He took a deep breath. “Your mother was raised in the Core. And she had to leave. When we got married it wasn’t like it would have been if we were in the Core.”

“But _Lǎo mā_ is happy with us?” Bran’s worried expression was out of place on a three-year-old’s face.

“She is, very happy,” Riddick nodded. “We’re Furyan, so we’re different and the Core isn’t where any of us belong anymore. But there are things that your mama…values from the way she was raised.” He pointed at the broken tea set. “Your mama bought that when you two weren’t even born, because it reminded her of something good from the way she was raised.”

“What?” Tam frowned.

“A pretty tea set like that, special to your mama, it’s something she serves tea in for important guests, to show them that she honors them,” Riddick looked at them. “She had it put away, safe, in a special box, so it couldn’t get broken.” His woman’s scent when she’d seen that broken china, so sad, and resigned, as if she shouldn’t have even tried, “But you didn’t treat it like it was special to her. You treated it like it was a toy.”

“ _Lǎo mā_ is sad,” Bran murmured. “She smelt sad when she saw us with it. And scared.”

“Scared you’d hurt yourself, cut your hands or feet on the broken dishes, and sad that her special tea set is broken,” Riddick told them flatly. “When you don’t honor your mama’s wishes, it’s as if you’re telling her that what she values isn’t important to you. That makes her even more sad. And when your mama gets sad and scared, I get mad. I’m real mad right now.”

“Smell mad,” Tam agreed quietly.

“Uh huh,” Riddick looked at them. “So you two are going to go to your room and sit on your beds and think about respect. And honor. I’m going to clean this up. Then we’re going to do the job and have a meal. You can have Dog in your room with you.” The big animal had watched Kitten leave the galley with a mournful tilt of his head. Riddick stared at them, “I want you to understand. I love you very much. Your mother is the most important person in the world to me. I am going to fix this. And you two are going to put those genius brains to use and figure out why you shouldn’t be playing with things like your _Lǎo mā’s_ tea set.” He pointed at their room, “Now scoot.”

He’d had to get up after and go beat the hell out of the sandbag before he was calm again. Thank fuck the boys weren’t Readers like their mother. He’d have scared the hell out of them.

The job in question was delivering Mrs. Niska’s courier from Herschel to Boros, then Beaumonde and back to Herschel. Mrs. Niska had cargo to go along with the courier so they looked like something more than a messenger service. He’d gone from the workout room to the bridge and sent Celeste a wave.

“Richard,” She’d always been careful to not use his last name over a wave and rarely used his first. “Not that it isn’t a delight to hear from you, but what occasions the wave? Some trouble?”

“No, not…not with the job,” He’d shaken his head. “Y’know that tea set of Kitten’s? The one she uses for tea with you?”

“Of course, it’s a lovely reproduction,” Celeste had nodded with a smile. She and Kitten had enjoyed quite a few conversations with those delicate cups in their hands.

“The uh… well… the twins thought they’d throw a tea party for them and Dog,” Riddick shook his head. “They decided to use their _Lǎo mā’s_ tea set. Its…not…useable anymore. Kitten’s pretty upset.” He sighed, “They’re in their room thinking over their sins. I was hoping you could recommend a place I could find something she’d like to replace it.”

After that conversation, he’d gone to their room and held his pretty little wife while she sobbed out her fear and worry and sorrow. It hadn’t been the loss of the tea service so much as the destruction of the one thing she’d hoped she could bring from her childhood, from her own traditions. He knew she loved their life together, wouldn’t trade it or their children for some Core life, but it was hard to not have anything of her own culture. It put him in a killing mood, which sent him to the workout room again after he’d gotten a stew started in the slow cooker. Kitten had fallen asleep and when she’d woken she’d been calmer, sad but resigned and grateful their children hadn’t been harmed.

Celeste had very kindly suggested a shop on Beaumonde, the staff of which had greeted he and Kitten as if they were Core citizens bestowing largess. They’d found a tea service of much nicer quality than the stoneware that had broken, the closest to Earth-That-Was porcelain that could be made now, and Celeste, in lieu of Kitten’s family, had added a dinner service, complete with stemware and silver to match it.

Kitten had been grateful that he’d even thought to replace her broken china. When she Read that he’d waved Mrs. Niska for advice and help she’d been overwhelmed.

The boys had understood what they’d done wrong and how disrespectful they’d been of their mother. And made more of an effort to remember the courtesies she was teaching them as a way of saying they were sorry. Little boy manners but they were trying. They hadn’t understood the point though really and finally Tam had asked what manners were for. How were they useful? Riddick had grinned to himself wondering how his genius wife would handle that.

Kitten had tilted her head and then smiled, “Difficult to understand. Society’s rules are odd, to Furyan minds, ridiculous at times.” The boys had nodded and Riddick couldn’t help but agree with them. He still didn’t understand some of the stuff River did or the reasons she did it. “Manners, courtesy, are the way we show others we value them. They are how we show consideration to others, by following a common code of behavior when possible.”

She had shrugged, “Even those whose opinion we don’t care about. To have good manners…to know the courtesies and how to behave in any social situation, which fork to use, how to hold a knife…” Kitten glanced in his direction, “Chewing with your mouth closed even. Not talking with a mouthful. To do these things around others…renders you invisible in polite society. Wish for my children to walk through any world and know they will not be out of place, will not be hunted or looked at as if they are an obvious danger to others.”

Now that he got. Even if he didn’t give half a fuck about how people looked at him, he’d seen the looks some people gave River when they saw she was with him. Pity sometimes, as if she’d married down (which she kinda had), derision, like she wasn’t good enough for them since she was with a big bastard like him. He’d resolved that he would do his best to learn along with the boys and try to be a good example for them. He couldn’t expect them to do what their mother said if he wasn’t bothering with it. That’d be pretty hypocritical and he said as much, “So we’re all learning because I didn’t grow up in the Core and no one ever taught me either. Okay? We’ll all just do our best.”

It didn’t mean they were able to act like their Uncle Simon, but they were still young. They’d had a much better understanding of why their mother was teaching them such (seemingly) silly things though. And they never touched their mother’s china without permission again.

The new dishes, kept safely in a special case and out of the reach of little Furyan hands (just in case of temptation), weren’t the same design as the old ones. Simple and elegant, a raised pattern of white knotwork with a silver border to the edges, they were the prettiest thing on the ship besides his wife.

Funny how Kitten never made him feel out of place when she handed him his cup and saucer, smiling at him as if he were the most well-mannered man in the ‘verse even if his grasp of etiquette was a little rough around the edges still. He smiled back at her and kissed her knuckles as her hand caressed his jaw. “Celeste,” He looked at the older woman, fluffy pale hair and lace jabot at her neck belying the ruthless nature under that pale skin. “Feel like you can tell us what’s wrong?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So a little bit of history, little boys being little boys, and next time we’ll find out what Mrs. Niska wants.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> tā mā de niǎo (goddamn it /lit. 'His mother's dick')
> 
> Wǒ duì nǐ de sǔn shī biǎo shì āi dào (my condolences for your loss/ I mourn your loss)
> 
> Xiè xie (to thank / thanks / thank you)
> 
> Bà ba (Dad, pops, daddy)
> 
> Lǎo mā (mother / mom)
> 
> Lǎo dà niáng (old lady / Madam (polite address)/ grandmother, aunty, grandma, grandmamma)


	4. Four

She’d known it would be bad. Celeste was radiating pain, even as tightly controlled as she kept her emotions, her grief nearly overwhelmed River. Thoughts of her son, an intelligent, good looking if generally unmemorable man in his thirties, brown hair, blue eyes, lying on a slab in a morgue.

“ _Zěn me huí shì_? Your son,” River looked at her friend. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“Adlai…” Celeste took a deep breath. “Adlai decided he needed to make an example of him.”

“An example,” Riddick’s voice rumbled dangerously. “He’s got so many heirs that your son was just a spare?”

“ _Wángbā dàn de biǎo zi_. He has sons by other women,” Celeste lifted one shoulder in an elegant uncaring shrug. “But Heinrich is our only son. My only son. Our daughter… she’s safely away, her father never concerned himself with her.”

“Just as smart as you and her brother,” River murmured. “Higher education…” She covered Celeste’s free hand with her own. “Heinrich is on Boros?”

“He is,” Celeste nodded. “I want to bring him home to be buried.”

“But that ain’t the whole of it,” Riddick surmised.

River watched as Celeste shook her head, “No, it is not.” She lifted her cup and sipped before setting it down with a gentle click. “I am hoping the two of you will consider doing a job for me that is…atypical of my usual requests.” She regarded the two of them and seemed to realize that they wanted her to say what she needed. Even if they already knew what it was.

“Best to lay it all out,” River murmured. “No misunderstandings. No assumptions.” She knew of course, exactly what Celeste wanted to ask of them. Reading it out of their friend’s mind was one thing. Saying it so that Celeste didn’t need to, that did none of them any favors.

“I want the two of you to kill my husband,” Celeste didn’t flinch from her words. “If possible, making it look like natural causes or an accident, though accidents are still regarded with suspicion. So I will leave that to you.”

River nodded her understanding, “And what will happen after?”

She glanced at Riddick, his stoic expression concealing his sympathy. Since the twins he’d gotten a great understanding of just how crippling the loss of a child could be. If she had opened his heart, their sons had awakened his empathy. He now had some idea of what Johns Sr had been going through on Not Furya. It wouldn’t stop them from defending themselves, but now and then, when they were planning jobs, it showed in Riddick’s restraint. He’d never killed indiscriminately. But neither had he been overly concerned about removing someone in their way.

Now when their jobs skewed towards the violent Riddick put more effort into leaving people alive. Wounded but alive. He’d grinned at her once and said it made the work more challenging. Killing was easy. Judiciously placed wounds…not as much.

Of course, all those civilized concerns flew out the airlock the second someone dared to threaten her. In that respect, she doubted Riddick would ever change. The Furyan would brook no threat to his woman. She wouldn’t want him any other way.

Riddick nodded, “No offense meant, but with your organization, Niska is the head of the snake. Kill him… the operation is going to fall apart. He’s the face.”

“And no one takes me for someone who can run the business like him,” Celeste nodded. “There will be some disarray, and hostility, I’ve no doubt.”

“And would anyone come after you?” Riddick slanted a look back at River.

She nodded, “Anyone high enough up in the business knows you’re more than a wife. You’re the brains. You’ll either need to be eliminated or…”

“Forced out in other ways,” Riddick agreed. “They could try to take the ranch.”

“It is something to think upon,” Celeste agreed. “My husband’s sons are as ruthless as he is, and unfortunately, just as short-sighted.”

“So this could turn into something more than the elimination of one target,” River mused. “If anyone got the idea we were involved…”

“We’d end up on a killing spree makes Jack the Ripper look laid back,” The Furyan growl underscored his words. A potent reminder of his need to keep their children safe. Including the one in her belly.

“For now, please, simply think on it,” Celeste asked quietly. “I realize this is no small thing I ask. And I would never presume to treat it as a favor. My payment would be substantial but so is the task.” She named a sum that would keep them in fuel and food for a good two years.

“Yes,” River nodded and gave her friend a sympathetic smile. “It will require thought.”

* * *

Riddick exchanged a look with Kitten, “Yeah… we’ll need to do some serious planning.” Celeste’s eyes seemed faded, her skin worn and dull, for all her good manners. “Why don’t you get some rest. Me an’ River’ll get dinner started, talk on this some, figure a way it could be done without too much blowin’ back on you.”

Celeste nodded and rose, making her way to her room with stately grace, “Thank you. For giving it consideration.”

“’Course we would,” He shrugged. “Wouldn’t turn you down flat.”

“Not unless we were certain of the impossibility,” Kitten agreed.

He watched as she shut the door of her quarters before looking at his wife, “Got a few ideas, but not a lot that won’t make it obvious he was killed deliberately.”

“Digitalis,” She seemed to think that would have some meaning for him.

“Naw, I’m keepin’ it a secret,” He retorted dryly. What the hell was she talking about?

“No,” She giggled and shook her head. “Digitalis is a…medication. Fallen into disuse with other more recent developments in the Core. But on the Rim, it is still used as something to aid with a heart condition.”

“What’s it do?” No wonder he had no clue what it was, he had no reason to look up medicines, and doubted he would in the near future.

“Slows the heart, allows it to fill with blood before beating again, keeps someone from having a heart attack,” She tilted her head. “Possible to administer it without the person being aware. Distillation of foxglove plant. Added to strong food or drink…”

“So poison…that could work,” Riddick nodded. “Not as satisfying as a shiv to the sweet spot but less conspicuous.”

“And it would look like he died in his sleep. Doubt there would be undue insistence on an autopsy,” Kitten smirked.

“Can’t underestimate his sons by other women,” Riddick pointed out. “How long does it take digitalis to work and then disappear from his system.”

“Gets processed through the body like any other medication, through the liver and then gone,” Kitten mused. “We’ll need to look into his children. How capable, or ruthless, they are. If they would accept Celeste as the…CEO of their organization or if steps will need to be taken regarding them as well.”

“So, research,” Riddick grimaced. Not his favorite thing. But he could turn his mind to locations, getting in and out, and other methods of killing Niska that would leave no trace.

“Most information could be gathered simply by speaking with Celeste,” Kitten pointed out. “First though…we must retrieve Heinrich.”

“Yeah,” He nodded. “Although…a shove into traffic seems like that would do the trick pretty well too. Provided we could get him somewhere there was traffic.”

“Very tempting,” His wife grinned at him. “Out the airlock would be too quick.”

He began to get plates set up while she poked and prodded through the cold cabinets and finally decided on a chunk of meat as big as his head. They tended to think over potential jobs while they were preparing meals these days. Quiet time was in short supply with two little boys running around. Cooking gave them time to mull over complications that could arise with work they’d agreed to do, plotting and planning mentally with occasional murmurs.

“Roast beef, gravy, baked potatoes, with carrots, peas, green beans and corn,” She murmured, and he pulled the big roasting pan down from one of the high cabinets. “An apple crumble pie for dessert? With slices of cheddar. Wine for Celeste and you, juice for the boys and me.”

“Sounds like a feast fit for a king,” He began to pull potatoes out of the dry storage and the canned vegetables from the pantry cabinet. “Had another thought about Niska though.”

“Hmm…” Kitten nodded, obviously she’d Read him. “Thinks to make it look like murder, while his sons are there, lead them to believe one of the others is responsible. Have them kill each other off.”

“And help that along if necessary,” Riddick nodded. “Celeste doesn’t seem to have any love for Niska’s bastards.”

“Doesn’t,” Kitten shook her head as she began to scrub the potatoes, turning the oven on to preheat. “To a man they are mean spirited, short sighted and nasty. _Hún dàns_. Treacherous and cruel. _Yǔ sheng chù hùn zá de bēi wéi nú lì_. The image of their father but without any of Celeste’s intelligence.”

“Niska isn’t exactly stupid,” Riddick reminded her. “His sons must have some brains.”

“True enough,” She shrugged. “Just used to a…higher class of criminal.” She smirked at him and he laughed.

“Yeah, you and I are in a class by ourselves,” He agreed.

* * *

River considered the situation later that evening after the boys were safely in bed, Celeste had retired and Riddick had attempted to give her another set of twins. Breathless and exhausted in her husband’s arms, it seemed an odd time for her brain to turn to murder. But even before the Academy she hadn’t been normal.

And life with Riddick didn’t encourage lazy thinking either. Every now and then mercs would try to sniff them out. The twins had overheard some salty language the last time that had happened.

“Your brain working overtime Kitten,” Riddick’s hot mouth nuzzled her neck.

“Hmm… have an idea… but it will depend on what we find on Boros,” River murmured.

“What we find,” He repeated. “What are we gonna find?”

“Can’t be certain. No absolutes…just a feeling,” She really hated how vague the sensation was. A tickle on the back of her brain and nothing to go on beyond that.

“Be there by morning,” He pulled her close, little spoon to his big one, huge palm covering her belly. “Guess we’ll find out then.”

* * *

Riddick had a way of being right about things. Odd, since he claimed he wasn’t a Precog or a Reader. But his intuition always proved correct in the long run. An absentminded comment he’d made, that any child of Celeste’s would be difficult to take down, resonated with the odd feeling she’d had the night before. When they set down on Boros River slanted a wry glance at him, “Right again.”

“Yeah?” He set the ship into ground mode, starting docking protocols that would switch out the water and waste and keyed in the amount of fuel they wanted to purchase. Boros had a pretty good dock, reasonably priced. “What about?”

“Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou off; When presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse shall keep his native progress, but surcease: no warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest; the roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade to paly ashes, thy eyes’ windows fall, like death, when he shuts up the day of life; each part, deprived of supple government, shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death.” River murmured thoughtfully and glanced back towards the rest of the ship. “Saw death coming for him, and feigned murder to avoid a knife in the back.”

“What he pretended someone poisoned him? To keep someone else from shooting him?” Riddick kept his voice low, even though it was doubtful Mrs. Niska could hear him through the doors to the bridge.

River shook her head, “Assassination staged to look like a home invasion. Took a bullet, assassin didn’t bother to stay and make certain the job was finished. Heinrich was still alive when he left. Took a drug that would slow the metabolism, keep him from bleeding out, make it look like he was dead.” Her hands moved over the keyboard, husking her way into the coroner’s office. “Ah…avoided autopsy on the grounds of religious beliefs. Lies in the cold dark drawer, still appearing as if dead.”

Riddick shook his head, “Well let’s go and claim the body and we can do whatever doctoring is needful before you administer whatever counteragent is needed.” He continued settling the ship into her ground posture before glancing up at her, “Any chance he could have died anyway? Don’t want to put Celeste through any unnecessary grief.”

“If we had delayed another day, thirty-six hours, we would need to bury him, no matter what he took, the drug will only hold for so long.” River began to shut down her side of the console and picked up her databook. “But we will be able to transfer him to the ship without any ill effects so long as we do it soon.”

“All right let’s get breakfast going quick and make the arrangements,” Riddick nodded. “I’ll get the boys up and knock on Celeste’s door if you’ll start cooking?”

“Easy as lyin’,” River grinned and stood bringing her databook with her. “Made arrangements for a simple coffin to be delivered for transport of the body of Heinrich Niska. It will arrive at the coroner’s office shortly before we do.”

He nodded and as he entered the private hall Dog came out, sniffing at her happily. “Yes, you are a good boy,” She praised him as she poured out his food. “Eat breakfast and then lie down so you are not underfoot.”

Thanks to Celeste she could make a proper breakfast of eggs, bacon, roasted tomatoes, and biscuits. An odd combination but one universally enjoyed aboard _Sanguine_. By the time everyone was at the table the coffee had finished brewing and she was inhaling its scent and sighing in resigned longing since that was all she was able to enjoy of it.

“Boys, we have an errand to run with Mrs. Niska,” River regarded her sons. Dark eyes looked back at her curiously and she continued, “It shouldn’t take very long, but while we are gone you are to behave. The doors at the top of the stairs stays locked.”

“If the alarm sounds we lock ourselves in our room with Dog until one of you says it’s all right to come out.” Tam nodded, still eating his eggs.

“We don’t talk with our mouths full,” River reminded him. “But yes, you are right.”

“Do we still have to do lessons after breakfast then?” Bran wondered.

“Today is a day off from lessons,” Riddick half smiled. “But tomorrow we’re back to it. All right? If you two are done go make your beds. I know they aren’t fixed up because you two got out here so quick.”

River watched as their children hurried out of the common area and turned to Celeste. Her friend looked every minute of her sixty years, grief overcoming her usual vibrancy. “I’ve made arrangements at the…morgue, for us to accompany you in identifying Heinrich,” She began. “We have transport waiting for us. When we return here…”

“Kitten’s got an inkling that things aren’t all they appear to be,” Riddick spread his hands. “Won’t know for sure until we’re all back on the boat.”

“I…see… Well,” Celeste shook her head. “No, I don’t really but I’ll trust your judgement.”

“Think it’s best if we act like couriers/bodyguards,” Riddick suggested. “Don’t want anyone to get ideas.”

“Very wise,” She nodded and rose. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be ready in a moment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So…Now Niska is really in for it isn’t he? 
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Zěn me huí shì (what's the matter? / what's going on? / how could that be? / how did that come about? / what's it all about)
> 
> Wángbā dàn de biǎo zi (whore’s bastard/son of a bitch(insult))
> 
> Hún dàn (individual who has at least two biological fathers and one biological mother - bastard / scoundrel / bastard / hoodlum / wretch)
> 
> Yǔ sheng chù hùn zá de bēi wéi nú lì (Filthy fornicators of livestock)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou off; When presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse shall keep his native progress, but surcease: no warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest; the roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade to paly ashes, thy eyes’ windows fall, like death, when he shuts up the day of life; each part, deprived of supple government, shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death – Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare


	5. Five

Riddick sat down with a barely restrained groan of fatigue. Morgue, body retrieval, emergency surgery and it was a damn good thing Serenity had been close enough for Simon to meet them on Boros within a few hours of their wave. Heinrich was out of immediate danger; Simon had left strict instructions on his medical care and Serenity had taken off again with a hefty chunk of platinum from Mrs. Niska in thanks.

“He’s resting,” Mrs. Niska sounded about twenty years younger than she had that morning. “I have a safehouse, and a discreet doctor on Ezra. If we can take him there…”

“Yeah, sure,” Riddick nodded. “Keep him safe and recovering until we can deal with the core issue.”

“The core issue,” She repeated with a half-smile. “A gentle way to describe killing my husband and his _hún dàn_ sons.”

“Eh, we’re still working on a way to do it that won’t implicate you, unless you want it that way,” Riddick raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Ah…you mean stage a coup and openly run the business rather than act as the woman behind the throne, so to speak.” Celeste nodded her understanding, “That is tempting…but the reasons I remain in the shadows haven’t changed.”

“One of the Tongs is headed by a woman,” Kitten remarked as she entered the common area. “The boys are asleep,” She nodded towards their room. “So we can discuss the issue more openly.”

Riddick pulled her against his side as she sat down next to him and indulged himself by inhaling her scent for a moment before turning his mind back to the matter at hand. “We had the thought to set it up so Niska died, very obviously poisoned, while all his little bastards are with him. So they’d start accusing each other. Would that work or are they not paranoid enough?”

Those bright eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she turned that idea over in her mind. “Niska is actually so paranoid that all his food is tasted before being served. Everyone knows it.”

Kitten smiled slowly, that wicked curve of her lips that he loved so much meant she had an idea, “So if we put poison on say…a spoon or fork at his place setting…”

“And if it’s a poison with an obvious tell, like cyanide smells of almonds, there’d be no mistaking that Niska died of poison at a table with his sons.” Riddick smirked. “How likely is it they’ll start accusing each other?”

Celeste’s smile nearly matched Kitten’s, “He’s encouraged competition between them all. None of them trust the others, all of them are nearly as paranoid as he is.”

“So very likely they’ll start killing each other off,” Riddick’s smirk widened to a grin. “So that’ll give you and Heinrich time.”

Kitten tilted her head as she looked at her friend, “Will need to put people you can trust into the positions Niska’s offspring hold right now.”

“And have Heinrich established as the head of the organization,” Celeste nodded. “Niska holds a combination board meeting/family reunion of sorts every six months or so. The head of every area is required to attend. He has four sons by four different women. Heinrich and my daughter, and me.”

“Can you think up an excuse to not attend?” Riddick looked at her. “Seems pointless to kill Niska if you die in the crossfire in the aftermath.”

“The meeting is set for two weeks from now,” Her smile set in ice. “My daughter and I will be mourning Heinrich’s death. I’ll be hosting her and her husband and as neither of them are involved in the business, it’s the perfect reason for not being there. Niska will no doubt inform the rest that Heinrich has been killed for whatever reason he decided.”

“Business before or after the dinner?” Kitten had her databook out and was working on something.

“Oh before, he’s prone to making announcements, denouncements and the occasional note of praise before the meal so everyone can stew and prod and poke each other over what’s been said,” Niska’s wife shook her head. “The man loves nothing more than making people squirm.”

“Reputation is everything,” Kitten nodded. “Grow his at the expense of others. Where is it held?”

“It varies, the last was on the station, the one before at the townhouse on Herschel.” She considered, “This next should be at the farm on Ezra.”

“Good,” Riddick was making some mental arrangements of his own. “Easier to sneak in.”

“And take care of any outstanding issues,” Kitten added. “Could be very satisfying to walk into the room and simply shoot them all down.”

“I don’t doubt you could do it,” Celeste smiled slightly. “And it does have a certain…panache.”

Riddick grinned at her, “Yeah, that could be a lot of fun.”

The criminal mastermind behind the crime lord chuckled, “Should you remove all four of his sons and Niska, the payment will increase substantially.”

“Oh now it’s gotta be done,” Riddick smirked.

* * *

River looked up from her cortex and nodded, “We’re just about set. Celeste says all of them have arrived, Niska is micro-managing the dinner with his usual attention to detail. The meeting/dinner is set for seven in the evening.”

“Any issues come up with getting us in?” Riddick’s hands kept moving on the set of tooled belts with knife sheaths in the back. Child size they would serve to hold the dull shivs the twins would learn on. Begin as you mean to go on they’d agreed. Their children might be geniuses but they were Furyan through and through. As such, martial arts were as much a part of their education as mathematics. They’d grown enough now to be trusted with simple training blades.

“Nothing has come up,” River shook her head. “Heinrich is recovering. Celeste has been going through her own information for replacements once the job is done.” She considered again their plan to invade the house. Simple enough, to travel overland from the spaceport since the farm wasn’t far from town. Getting in the house became much simpler as Celeste had sent them the most recent specifications for the alarm system. The codes changed daily but River wasn’t a husker to match Mr. Universe for nothing.

“How’s the decryption program coming,” He held up the belt and nodded in satisfaction before putting his tools back in their case. A glance down towards the exercise area and her big man shook his head. “They’re way too quiet…”

“Either reading or in mischief,” River agreed. “The program is done; we should be able to get in the house without difficulty. If we go in after the first course we shouldn’t run into anyone.”

“That’s good…” Riddick stood and called down the hall to the exercise room. “What’re you two heathens up to down there?”

“Teaching Dog,” The reply came in unison and River sighed.

“This does not bode well,” She closed the cortex. “Our _xiǎoguǐ_ , better see what they are teaching.”

“If it involves Dog you know they’re on the mats with him,” Her husband muttered as they walked silently down the hall. The sight that greeted them involved the twins and Dog, all on the soft mats, Dog sitting back on his hind legs with his forelegs above little boy heads. “It’s a stone bitch always bein’ right,” Riddick sighed as he leaned against the wall.

“Branson Malcolm, Tamlin Hoban,” Rare that she’d use their full names and that got their attention, big eyes on she and Riddick. “Exactly what are you trying to teach Dog?” River rubbed her forehead.

“If he can sit back on his hind legs, and lean so he’s standing like us, he can reach things on the counter,” Tam explained.

“Then he can fetch stuff for us,” Bran nodded.

“And this is being done on the mats, why?” Their father’s voice rumbled the faintly irritated question and Dog whined at the tone.

“So he wouldn’t get hurt if he fell down,” Bran explained. “We didn’t know if he could even do it.”

River sighed, “Dog.” A snap of her fingers and the huge animal came down on all fours and made his way to her side. Gentle petting and Riddick’s big hand patting him firmly on the neck settled Dog’s nerves and reassured him that they weren’t angry with him.

“First,” Riddick stared at them, silver eyes dark. “Dog isn’t allowed on the mats because of that,” He pointed at several punctures Dog’s claws had poked in the mats. “That ain’t somethin’ that fixes easy.”

“Second, Dog isn’t allowed to take things from the counters,” River added. “We keep things up there that we can eat but could make him sick. Animals can’t have processed chocolate, or onions, or ginger.”

“And last, Dog is older than you, we don’t know a lot about how he ages. For all you know it would be like teaching _Lǎo dà niáng_ to dance ballet,” Riddick added. “You two are smart, and I know you get bored, your _lǎo mā_ and I were the same way at your age.”

“Please learn to come and tell us that you are bored,” River folded her arms sternly. “I will find you something to do. Something that will keep you occupied. In the meantime, the two of you have reading to do. And chores after that. Your _bà ba_ and I are prepping for a job right now. We will be working tomorrow evening. Will we be able to trust the two of you to behave while we are gone? To not get bored and do something foolish, or dangerous?”

“Or both,” Riddick added dryly.

“We can be good!” Tam nodded and his brother echoed him fervently.

“We know how to behave,” Bran added.

“Today does nothing to prove that,” River shook her head. “Please go to your room. Dog will stay with us.”

Two unhappy little faces trudged past them and River bit her lip to keep from laughing until she heard the door to the bedroom close and their minds settling as they sat on their beds. A glance at Riddick’s face and his twitching lips broke her control and she began laughing helplessly.

“What’n the sweet unholy fuck were they thinking?” Riddick’s chuckling grew to a laugh that had him sitting down on the mats. “Fetch from the counter?”

River shook her head, still wordless with laughter, and sat beside him, “I have no idea. The two of them just… think of something and decide to try it. Long-term… I think they wanted Dog to be more self-sufficient. The way we keep teaching them to take care of themselves. Within reason.”

“Except their reasoning is…well…five years old,” Riddick lay back, flat on the mats and shook his head, still chuckling. “Even if they are geniuses they’re still five years old.”

She grinned at him, “It took me until I was six to organize my playgroup so we could raid the kitchen for cake.”

“We’ll have to start encrypting the galley cabinets,” Her big man groaned, still smiling.

“Possibly,” River smiled. “Have to put some thought into making puzzles for them.”

“Yeah,” Big hands reached for her waist and pulled her over to straddle him. “Think the next one will be a little dumber?”

“Unlikely,” She shook her head and bent down to kiss him. “Plans to continue work?”

“Still thinkin’ about that,” Those hands slid from her waist to her _pì gu_ and squeezed gently. “Still think we could have twins.” His mouth moved over hers and teased her lips with the tiniest caress.

“Twenty-five minutes until we must prepare dinner,” River murmured.

“I can work with that,” Her big man grinned against her lips and rolled her over, pressing her body to the mats. And she couldn’t think anymore.

* * *

He’d never get tired of being with his wife, still felt that burst of joy whenever he thought of the simple fact that she’d married him. She was his wife. And the children she’d given him… he’d never thought about kids until her. Never considered having kids a possibility. He still found the entire process terrifying, except the creation part. His beautiful little woman swollen and vulnerable, unable to move quickly…it was his worst nightmare. And at the same time, his most dearly hidden dream.

Much as he joked about giving her twins, he wasn’t sure if he could take that again. A single child wouldn’t incapacitate her so thoroughly, he hoped.

He loved watching her, in the morning, before she woke, before the boys needed breakfast. Just looking down at that beautiful face, feel her slender body pressed to his, and know that she belonged to him, and he to her. The fan of dark lashes over porcelain skin, the shadow of near black hair like silk, spread over the pillow and his chest. He could look at her forever.

But today they had to get moving, make meals for the boys to eat when they got hungry while he and River did the job. Mrs. Niska’s payment would go a long way towards making sure they had the money for the downtime the new baby would require in nine months.

One last look at his peacefully sleeping woman and he pressed his mouth to her forehead, “Kitten, we’ve gotta get moving.”

She sighed and her hand flexed over his chest, touching the Mark and those beautiful eyes opened. “Hmm… she is awake. Reluctantly but awake.”

“Let’s get going then,” He lay there one more moment and then forced himself to get out of the bed. “After this job, time off. Let the boys run around the moon. Dog run with them. Breathe some unrecycled air.”

“He has a deal,” She sat up and her hair fell around her, glossy dark against pale skin and all he wanted was to climb back in bed with her. Her smile told him she’d Read that thought. “After the job.”

“Hold you to that woman,” Riddick growled and indulged himself with a hard kiss to that dark mouth.

* * *

The farm had a border of electrified fence, easily bypassed if you knew what you were doing, and since it was a working farm, not much else until they got to the main house. Several high-class transports, nothing but fancied up mules to his eye, sat in a curved drive that led from the road up to the front porch. Horses in a barn, machinery in another barn and cows elsewhere, the smells were nothing new, not enjoyable but nothing he couldn’t handle.

The porch surrounded the house, and in some cases held stairs to small second story porches with old look glass doors. Everything seemed in good condition, nothing falling into disrepair. The only trouble was every door had glass in it. Entering from the ground floor required five minutes at the door lock for River’s decryption program to break the security system open.

“Upstairs,” River nodded as they passed a staircase. “With everyone downstairs because of the dinner, we can go in up there, out of sight and come down inside.”

“There’s always something that messes with us when it comes to Niska,” Riddick muttered to her as they mounted the steps. “Why would this job be any different.”

“Empty guest room,” River pulled her cortex out as she crossed the balcony and began attaching the feeds to the security panel. “Five minutes.”

Riddick nodded and kept an eye and ear out for anyone who might come their way. He might like to avoid killing innocent bystanders but if it came down to their lives or his and River’s…well. He wasn’t one of the most feared convicts in the ‘verse for nothing.

“All servants downstairs,” River murmured. “In the kitchens, preparing the meals. Laundry room…pantry… one in the parlor, setting out the brandy and glasses near the humidor cabinet for after dinner smoking.”

“Farm hands are all in the bunkhouse,” Riddick nodded towards the low outlying building. “One in the barn, got a horse about to foal.”

“We’re in,” River said after a minute or so. Disconnecting the leads and putting her cortex equipment back in the satchel took half a minute and they were slipping inside the room. A short pause before they opened the bedroom door and they were in the hall with no one any the wiser.

One bad moment as a maid crossed the foot of the back stairs bringing dirty linens to the laundry, but no one else even came close to seeing them.

The halls weren’t brightly lit, old fashioned sconces made to look like gas lamps gave the dark paneled walls even deeper shadows. They found the dining room easily enough. From what he could gather of the layout every main room on the ground floor had doors that opened to the porch. Good when it came to getting out at least.

He kept an eye out while River listened to Niska’s thoughts, and he listened to the talk going on in the dining room. River nodded when he heard the noise level of the conversation increase and he turned the lights out in the hallway while River eased the door open.

The dining room, a large space dominated by a sizable rectangular table in the middle of the room, had only a large chandelier over the table to light the room. The result was a large circle of light while the rest of the room was cast into shadow. Like a bonfire in the center of a camp, seeing outside the light would prove nearly impossible.

River glanced at him and he shrugged, Niska’s flair for dramatics making their job easier? Not something he had a problem with. And it just begged for some melodramatics of their own. River read his thought and rolled her eyes at him but shrugged back and he knew she wouldn’t mind the slight deviation one bit.

Coming up behind Niska’s chair, simplicity itself, while River stole around to the foot of the table. Her Ladysmith already in her hand she deliberately pulled out a chair with a loud scraping noise.

“Remember me Mr. Niska,” She grinned and shot one of the sons. Riddick smirked and pressed the edge of the shiv he held to Niska’s throat, effectively holding the man in place.

“I—” Niska didn’t get more than that out before River shot another of his sons. The last two were scrambling for their guns but his woman was quicker and her aim truer. Four dead men slumped or fallen from their chairs while Niska could do nothing but stare and quiver.

“You know what is reputation,” River murmured. “Is gossip, is talk. And now you know, our reputation is justified.”

“You really shouldn’t have tried to kill Heinrich,” Riddick growled. “Celeste likely would have let you live if you hadn’t tried to make an example out of him. Her son.”

“You- you dare—” Niska sounded a bit strangled.

“Guess he never figured he’d push her too far,” Riddick shrugged. “Hope she doesn’t mind replacing the carpet. Doubt she’ll ever get the blood out.”

River smiled, cool and calm. “I doubt she’ll care. It’s not like it’s an antique. Better finish up though. Kitchen staff heard the noise. Waiting to be sure it wasn’t Niska doing the shooting. Afraid to enter.”

“Right.” Riddick smiled back at her and drew his knife across the jugular. No sense taking chances and letting the man choke to death on his own blood. A cut across the jugular and carotid and he bled out in a matter of minutes. “Let’s go.”

The glass paned double doors leading out to the porch were a convenient exit. Within a few minutes they were away from the house and headed across the fields to the electric fence and their exit.

* * *

Riddick grinned as they arrived at the spaceport. They’d made a stop at one of the shops in town, finding several puzzle boxes, broken cortexes and databooks and a few more things that would keep the boys occupied. Secondhand shops had become their favorite places to stop. Even on the Rim folks threw away things that he and River could use. “Maybe we could head into Ariel or one of the other Core planets, hit up their junkyards for some things we could salvage.”

“A thought,” River nodded. “Will you wave Celeste? I’ll start getting a late meal ready.”

“You got it,” He kissed her just because he could and headed to the bridge to let Mrs. Niska know her husband was no longer among the living. After that, a course to Universe’s moon and at least a week of lazy days and play with the boys.

And then… well…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So…five year old geniuses… Trust me, this is the least that five year olds get up to. And yeah, poison and a discreet death might have been a good idea but all of them shot and then Niska’s throat slit…kinda makes the point that the king is dead. Long live the king. I don’t think a lot of folks will try to screw around with Heinrich or Celeste from this point forward.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> hún dàn (bastard)
> 
> xiǎoguǐ (little demon (term of endearment for a child) / mischievous child / imp)
> 
> Lǎo dà niáng (old lady / Madam (polite address)/ grandmother, aunty, grandma, grandmamma)
> 
> lǎo mā (mother / mom)
> 
> bà ba (Dad, pops, daddy)
> 
> pì gu (butt)


	6. Epilogue

He looked down at his exhausted wife and pulled the quilt up around her shoulders. Ship’s air always seemed cooler, even planetside. A soft cry from the bassinette and he moved over to check on the newest Furyans born. Girls this time. Both of them with River’s mouth, though one had darker skin and hair than the other.

“There now little Jayne Imai,” He lifted her up to be changed. “I got you _niū niu_.”

Not wanting to be left out her sister made an inquiring sound and he grinned, “Absolutely my little Jaqueline Simone, you’re next.”

Kitten’s tired but amused voice murmured behind him, “He is _diān dǎo_ , a madman.”

Clearly she’d read his thought that he wouldn’t mind another child eventually. In another few years once these were walking and talking. “Not crazy,” He changed his slightly younger daughter after putting her big sister down. “Just thinking what pretty babies you make Kitten.”

“As if such were a solitary endeavor,” She giggled in amusement. “They hunger?”

“Nah,” He got his youngest back into the bassinette with her sister. “Just needed a change.”

“And he will remember this time, that once they are past the nursing stage her body recovers and the husband will have his wife again,” Kitten’s tone hardened slightly and he winced recalling the long dry spell he’d put her through after the boys were born.

“I’ll remember,” He climbed into bed beside her and kissed her head. “Love you Kitten.”

“Love my Riddick,” She relaxed against him and he felt her fall asleep.

River had been reading King Lear to the boys and hadn’t that been a hell of an interesting discussion. One line had stood out in his mind, ‘Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; beyond what can be valued, rich or rare’. And that described how he felt about his family better than anything else he’d come across.

Two sons who had stepped up to help with chores as much as they could when they saw their mother huge and unable to move easily. Two adorable baby girls. A home. Work that challenged and kept his edge sharp. And a woman who couldn’t be more perfect for him.

He glanced down at her with a smile and wondered if he could talk her into another one. He wouldn’t mind another baby in a year or two. Be nice to name a baby after Carolyn and Kaylee. River’s sister and the woman who’d gotten him started in the right direction.

Maybe she was right. Maybe the hell that had been his life before he met her had been a down payment on this life with her. That was the only way he could get this lucky. But he’d take it.

With River at his side the sky really was the limit. She could make anything possible. Even turn Big Evil into a doting papa.

A doting papa with shivs and guns and a protective streak a kilometer wide.

But a doting papa nonetheless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you more than words can wield the matter;  
> Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;  
> Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;  
> No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;  
> As much as child e'er loved, or father found;  
> A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;  
> Beyond all manner of so much I love you.  
> \--King Lear, William Shakespeare
> 
> 8888
> 
> Author’s Note: So that’s it. Hope you all enjoyed it. Nothing else comes to mind for this series. But you never know.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> niū niu (little girl)
> 
> diān dǎo (To turn upside down / to reverse / back to front / confused / deranged / crazy)


End file.
